CVE-2017-7102 in tvOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 11 is affected. Safari before 11 is affected. iCloud before 7.0 on Windows is affected. iTunes before 12.7 on Windows is affected. tvOS before 11 is affected. The issue involves the "WebKit" component. It allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) via a crafted web site.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7102 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Apple's WebKit rendering engine that affected multiple Apple platforms and applications. This vulnerability specifically targets the WebKit component which serves as the core web browsing engine powering Safari, iOS web views, and various other Apple applications. The flaw exists in the way WebKit processes certain web content, creating opportunities for remote code execution and system instability. The affected software versions include iOS before 11.0, Safari before 11.0, iCloud before version 7.0 on Windows, iTunes before version 12.7 on Windows, and tvOS before 11.0, indicating a broad impact across Apple's ecosystem. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management during web content rendering, which allows malicious actors to craft specially designed websites that can exploit this weakness.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it within the category of memory corruption issues that can lead to arbitrary code execution or denial of service conditions. Attackers can leverage this flaw by hosting malicious websites that trigger the vulnerable WebKit component when users visit these pages. The exploitation process typically involves crafting web content that manipulates memory structures in ways that cause buffer overflows, use-after-free errors, or other memory corruption patterns. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited remotely without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a compromised website, making it a prime target for drive-by attacks. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read and CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write, which are common patterns in memory corruption flaws that can result in complete system compromise.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-7102 extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially enable full system compromise by allowing remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems. This capability transforms what might appear as a browser vulnerability into a serious threat that could result in data theft, system takeover, or persistent backdoor installation. The broad affected platform list means that organizations using Apple products across their network infrastructure face significant risk, as users could be compromised simply by visiting malicious websites. The vulnerability's presence in both mobile and desktop operating systems, including iOS, macOS, and Windows applications, creates multiple attack vectors that security teams must monitor and protect against. Organizations using Apple's ecosystem for business operations face particular risk, as this vulnerability could enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive corporate data through seemingly benign web browsing activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-7102 should prioritize immediate patch deployment across all affected Apple platforms and applications. Apple released security updates for iOS 11, Safari 11, iCloud 7.0, iTunes 12.7, and tvOS 11 to address this vulnerability, making software updates the primary defense mechanism. Network administrators should implement web filtering solutions to block access to known malicious domains and consider deploying sandboxing techniques to limit the potential impact of successful exploits. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual network traffic patterns or attempts to access compromised websites that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing user education programs to raise awareness about the risks of visiting untrusted websites and the importance of keeping software updated. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1203: Exploitation for Client Execution, emphasizing the need for layered security approaches that combine patch management, network monitoring, and user awareness training to effectively protect against this class of attack.